Introduce yourself

[Rumi in Hawaii]

Aloooha, Punatics! I am Katie A, aka "Rumi in Hawaii." I was conceived on the island of Kauai, and spent 1959-1963 on Oahu as an Air Force brat. When I was 13 years old, my family and I spent Christmas at Kilauea Military Camp, we walked across Kilauea crater, hiked through fern forests, saw crab spiders, stayed cool in the higher elevation of the volcano. I fell in love with the Big Island at age 13, and when we left Hawaii the next year, I swore to myself that I would return to live here. Well, as we all know, life intervenes, and besides, everyone "knew" that living in Hawaii was extraordinarily expensive. Then, about 6 years back, a friend had traded her timeshare for a week in Kona, and then couldn't make the trip...voila...what a good friend! Kona wasn't my cup of tea, and I spent quite a bit of time on Hilo side and up at the volcano, apologizing to Pele for that little vial of lava crumbles that I had bought at age 13 and carried around with me for the next 40 years! She must've forgiven me. "Affordable Paradise" and Konaweb and Punaweb gave me the wherewithal and the courage to keep the hope alive. My then-husband wasn't enamored with the prospect of living here, and due to many reasons, we separated in 2005, after he agreed to buy land in Eden Roc for me, bless his heart. We remain good friends, and co-parents. I later entered into a relationship with a man I've known since I was 16 years old...who was then living in Canada. We visited each other (I was living in Arizona), and eventually ended up RV'ing full-time together for over a year. It was with much trepidation that I brought him over to the Big Island, wondering what his reponse would be. Short story, we're living on the land now, the roof is about to be raised on our little hale in the rainforest of Eden Roc, and we're very content here. We'll still make trips to visit our families in the US and Canada, of course. I wrote a poem recently about finally being here, after waiting all these years:

'AINA

The cruise ship
that was my life
has sailed out to sea.
I am home.
Here.
In Hawaii.

I believe I have traveled all my life searching for Home. And it is here. And I am now home.

David, my sweetheart, and I read a lot, watch DVD's (we're currently hooked on "Lost" and "Six Feet Under", garden a lot, stargaze (have you seen Holmes' comet yet?), hike around the volcano, and generally relish feeling so incredibly lucky to be here, and with each other. The wait was worth it.

Mahalo to Punawebbers (and Rob) for continuing education/giggles. It's all good. If you're interested in our housebuilding, check out our blog www.moonoverhawaii.blogspot.com. Hope to meet some of you around the bend!



Wherever you go, there you are.